Just A Day
by MercieTorres
Summary: Tori unexpectedly leaves Hollywood arts and goes radio silent, and Jade misses her more than she thought she would, so she organizes the gang to go and look for her


A.N. Hi there, sorry I haven't updated 'I'm sorry I have depression', been so busy with school, med school is b***h, anyway I thought I would send this one shot for you as a sorry and a promise to update soon, please review.

JADE

-So what are we doing here again?- Sinjin asked for like the millionth time.

-Shut it, Sinjin, but seriously, Sikowitz, what are we doing here?- I asked.

-Relax children, Toro will be here soon to remove us out of our misery.- Sikowitz answers.

Great, Vega, who else could come up with this, I swear the things this girl would do to get attention, I was about to leave, when she came in looking like she had seen a ghost, I have to tell ya, that was a good look on her, wait no, ah forget it, I might as well agree that I might have a tiny crush on Vega, tiny being the chief word in this sentence. A couple of minutes pass and Vega hasn't said anything yet, she's just pacing around in front, and 'our' friends are giving her encouraging nods to speak. I'm getting sick of this so I yell.

-Hey! Vega! You called us here for something.- She nods. –Well, what is it.- Beck and Andre giving me disapproving stares, seriously, they treat this girl like a baby, it's probably because they want to sleep with her, the thought of one of these idiots having their way with Vega upsets me, so I give them stares scary enough to make a grown man pee in his pants to let them know exactly how I feel, although, they don't know why. Vega is still, which further upsets me. -Vega! I swear to God.- That seemed to do the trick because she started speaking.

-Do you guys mind if I smoke?- Vega asks, what the hell…..

-You smoke?- Andre and Beck ask in unison, horny bustards.

-Only when I'm nervous, I'm so nervous, God this is harder than I thought it was going to be.- She says, her tan skin now as white as death, I must admit that I was beginning to worry about her which was not good, cause unlike normal people worrying makes me crunky.

-Vega!- I yell, mentally cursing myself for rushing her, clearly what she wanted to say was hard or she wouldn't be looking paler than me, but then again Vega was a drama queen, we might be here to listen to how she broke her nail, I bet Andre and Beck would be all over her in the flash of a second, pretending to care about her when they only care about getting in her pants, this makes me even angrier and I growl, Vega thought that that was for her as she yelled words that turned my world upside down.

-I'm leaving, okay! I'm leaving HA, I just wanted to say goodbye, but this is so hard, I don't, I can't…..- she didn't finish her sentence as she broke down and started crying, all 'our ' friends were by her side in an instant, comforting her, asking her why, and all the normal shit normal people do when their friend is sad.

But not me, though it killed me to know that she would be leaving, I couldn't get my legs to move, as much as I wanted to hug her and tell her everything would be alright and whisper sweet nothings in her ear, I couldn't open my mouth. When I finally managed to open my mouth, I mentally covered my face with my hands as I knew what was coming.

-Well Vega, who would have thought, you finally got me the perfect present, you disappearing from my life.- Vega never really let anything I said get to her, but there is so much a girl can take, I could see her heart break into a million pieces, mine together with hers, and it was in that moment that I realized that the tiny crush that I had on Tori Vega, wasn't in fact a crush but a whole other big emotion, love. I was in love with Tori Vega.

I could feel tears form, but I held them back and walked away, I knew that once I was out the black box, there was no turning back, as long as I was inside I could always apologize, hug my friend and send her off with love, but I soon as I turned away from those beautiful brown orbs of hers, I could create yet another chest, put all my memories of Tori in it, lock it and throw it behind my walls that has kept everyone who cared about me at bay.

And walk away I did.

After my decision of erasing Tori from my mind failed miserably, that only took a couple of hours by the way, I decided to swallow my pride and apologize, hell, maybe I'll even be able to convince her to stay, so I went to bed that night with a decision to drive to Hollywood Hills in the morning before class, apologize, and who knows maybe tomorrow will be the day I finally confess what I truly feel about Tori.

So early morning, I drove to HH before I convinced myself not to go, the traffic is terrific in the morning and I reached the Vega residence in record time. With a large cup of coffee in my hand, I took a breath and rang the doorbell. It didn't long before a petite blond about my age opened the door, wait Tori doesn't have blond relatives, it's true, she told me that of all the relatives she has met, only 2 or 3 were redheads, the rest are brunettes. She must be a friend then, or maybe girlfriend, that thought filled me jealousy but I pulled myself together.

-Yes?- Oh crap, I must have staring while I was lost in my head.

-Hi, is Tori in?- I asked as polite as I could muster.

-Tori, who?- The blond asks, are you fucking kidding me, Tori Vega, you dumb blond, but I didn't say that, it wouldn't nice for me to kill Tori's relative when I'm here to apologize, Tori is forgiving but I doubt that even she can forgive the murderer of a family member.

Instead I said, -Tori Vega, she lives here.-

-Oh the Vegas, they moved last night.-

-What, they couldn't have, Tori was at school yesterday.-

-Yeah it was rather sudden, they left all their stuff, said we could give them to charity if we don't want to keep them.- she moved aside to show me inside the house, and except for the emptiness that suddenly enveloped the house, everything was the same, the same red couch that I made myself comfortable so many times, I remember that time when the wood was airing and I pushed her off the couch. Without realizing it, a sad smile crept onto my face, and a tear managed to escape my eye and roll down my cheek.

I think the blond felt sorry for me because she said, -Listen, I might be overstepping, but having something of someone helps, we haven't moved in yet, so we still have all their stuff.-

-You are but thanks.- Normally I would have chopped off her head by suggesting such a thing but for once I just accepted a nice gesture. –If you don't mind, I would like to take all the girls' stuff and the red couch, I will give it back when they come back. You said they left in a hurry so they might still need them when they get back.-

-Sure, I'll help you load, but you'll need a bigger car than that, or better yet, my dad has a container that I've been dying to drive, and I'm kind of in a good mood, new environment and all, so I'll offer you a hand.-

-Thanks, you're really nice, blondy, you should have met Tori, you'd have been best friends.-

-Thanks, name's Julia, by the way.-

-Jade.-

By the time I got to school, it was almost lunch, so I went to Festus's truck and got myself a burrito, Tori always loved burritos. I got my burrito and my coke and sat at our usual table, Tori always sat opposite me, which suited me because then I could stare at her without obstructions. Soon my friends joined me.

My friends must have noticed my mood because Beck decided to break the ice, take one for the team. -So where have you been Jade, off somewhere feeling bad for what you said to Tori yesterday?-

-You have no idea.- I could have denied that I was feeling bad or simply snapped at Beck the way I do when I'm mad but what was the point, Tori was gone and the worst thing was she left thinking, I couldn't care less if she was around or not, that was my punishment.

-Whoa, that was too easy, Jade what's wrong?- Andre asked surprised at how easily I accepted I was feeling bad for something wrong I had done.

-She's gone Andre.-

-Jade, what are talking about.- It was Beck this time.

-Tori, she's gone,- God it hurts even just saying her name, -The whole family is gone, it's like they just disappeared off the face the earth.

-Jade I don't understand.- Robbie said, of course you don't, I also don't understand this at all.

-I want you guys to cut class, make up some excuse if you must and follow mw to my house, I'll show you what I mean.-

-I still can't believe that she is gone.- Cat breaks the almost deafening silence that has consumed our little group since 'she' left, yeah I've decided to avoid saying her name at all costs, to ease the pain. Guess what, it's not working.

-Yeah when she said she was leaving HA, I thought she was just transferring to another school or something, not leaving the country, or the fucking planet, who knows where she could be right now.- Andre decides to speak, you could tell he was trying to keep his composure but what he felt for the latina was just too much.

I had realized soon after 'she' left that Andre wasn't just interested in sleeping with her but wanted much more with her, he was in love with her. Hell, everybody in our little group was in love with Tori, ouch, I said her name. Andre, Beck and I were in the same boat, we had romantic feelings for 'her'. Cat was in love with 'her' because she was the only one who regarded Cat as an adult as adultish as a high school student can be, 'she' saw in Cat what no one else saw, not even me. Robbie and Sinjin were in love with 'her' because not only was she a popular hot girl talking to them but she actually cared about them.

One by one everyone started talking about 'her', how sad they were she was gone and how they could give anything to bring her back.

-So let's find her.- I say with enthusiasm.

-What?- They all ask in unison, which is no surprise for I haven't uttered a single word since the day I took them to my house to show them the stuff I got from her place.

-Let's find her, you're all saying how much you'd give to see her again, I'd give up everything if it means I get to spend once more day with her, so why don't you put your money where your mouth is and we find our friend.-

-Jade is right, Robbie and I are good with technology, Jade and Cat with Sikowitz's help can get us a leave of absence from Helen, Beck has an RV, Andre is the entertainment. I don't about you guys, but I have enough money to get us to Canada.- Sinjin says, wheels already turning with a plan.

-I have about six grand that I've been saving for new tech equipment but I'll Tori over any equipment.- Robbie pitched in.

-I have 50 dollars, if that helps.- Cat says feeling inadequate.

-Everything counts, and don't worry about money, I've got plenty, we just need a story to tell our parents, well, your parents, mine don't care.- I say.

-Sikowitz can help with that, I don't have a lot of cash but I recently bought an engine for my RV that reduces fuel consumption about 40%, and the cash I have can be used for refueling.- Beck says.

-And I'll handle food, water and groceries.- Andre pitches in.

-So we're doing this?- I ask.

-To Tori.- Cat raises her glass.

-To Tori!- We all say in unison.

When we started our little road trip, we passed time by singing, goofing around, but mostly we talked about Tori, about the fun we had we had with her, how much more fun it will be when we find her, we even made a game called 'what would Tori Vega do'. We moved from California, going east, we went through Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri,…. , we passed through most of the states, (sometimes going in circles, curtsey of Beck's driving), going east until we reached Toronto. Every state we passed, took part of our hope of finding Tori, but we never gave, we all knew it wasn't going to be easy when we started so we promised ourselves we won't stop until we've got nothing left.

'Jade, why are you always so mean to me, Jade, why did you let me go, you could have asked me to stay and I would have, Jade, Jade….'

-Jade, wake up.- Andre lightly wakes me up, which in normal circumstances wouldn't have worked since I'm such a heavy sleeper, but ever since Tori's disappearance, I can be woken up by a fly passing by. –Another dream?-

-Yeah.-

-Listen, we're gonna find her, even if it's not this, we'll find her, I made a promise that I'll look for her until I've nothing left, going back to school does not mean I'm done, it simply means I'm refueling.-

-Yeah me too.-

-Hey, we'll find her, and when we find her, maybe you can finally tell her how you feel.- I would deny it but I don't have the energy.

-What about you, you're also in love with her?-

-Yeah, but let's just say that you have a shot and I don't.-

-Are you kidding me, the only time I'd a shot with Tori Vega over you is if she's gay,- he gives me a knowing look, -No, you're kidding.- I say.

-She told me, I'm her best friend remember?-

-Wow, but still, Vega being gay doesn't automatically give me a shot with her, have you forgotten what I've put her through, my last words to her was that I was glad she was leaving, for all I know I'm the reason she has contacted any of guys.-

-Jade, you've gotta stop doing this to yourself, if Tori believed that the things you did or said were the true reflection of how you felt, she would have let you go a long time ago, you said she sees in Cat what no one sees but she also sees in you what no one sees, not even you, I believe in her own words 'Jade West is a beautiful conundrum'.- I give this disbelieving look that he laughs at me. –I'm her best friend remember.-

-So what are guys talking about?- Beck, he just had to interrupt.

-We are talking about how we have to advance to Quebeck before we head west.-

-But we agreed to…..-

-Just do it Beckett!-

-Do it yourself, it's your turn to drive anyway.-

-Fine.-

I've never been one to believe in fate, but the way some events occur make me think if there is such a thing. For example, the Vegas left with no address, no phone call, no nothing, they didn't even carry their stuff, it's like they just disappeared off the face of the earth, so as to where they could be, any guess would as good as mine, but something drew us to Canada, we were originally supposed to head back towards the US after Ottawa, as our one month break that Sikowitz managed to squeeze for us from Helen was almost over, and we'd have to make up for that in the summer, but something drew me to Quebeck. We were supposed to leave yesterday, but one of Tori's favorite stars (A.N: you think of any artist you want.) had a show in Montreal, so we decided to stay for the show hopping that would lift our moods.

So while my friends were sulking convinced of our impending doom, I wasn't quite convinced myself, I was willing to believe in fate even just for a day.

I was on my way to get us some drinks when I realized I left my ps4 (A.N: not a gamer don't know if ps4 exists), in the RV, God knows I love Tori but some of the music she likes is like knives to my eardrums, with that I heard to the parking lot. It's a good thing we parked near the theater, the thought of trekking to the end of the parking lot was demoralizing.

I got my game, locked the giant vehicle, was about to leave when I saw someone who looked like Tori just near the end of the parking lot, I knew it was a long shot, but I ran across the parking lot like a mad woman, (trekking to the end of the parking lot wasn't so demoralizing), I stopped running, when I neared her, lest I scare her, who knows what has happened this past month.

Her back was turned to me, the more I got closer to her, the certain I became that this girl was in fact Tori. She was selling, knock off shoes, jewels, et cetera to foreigners who were more than willing to buy (stupid foreigners). When she opened her mouth to speak, I was sure that I'd found Tori, that angelic voice that captivated on her first day of HA was music to my ears. I let her finish with her customers before I approached her.

-Tori?- I called her with uncertainty in my voice, although I was 99.9% sure it was her, this could be fate playing a cruel joke on me.

-Jade?- She also asked with uncertainty and I almost jumped because of joy when I was a 100% sure that I'd found Tori. I had so many questions, things to say but in this moment I did the thing that I thought was most appropriate, I run to her and hugged her, her body stiffened for a bit due to surprised but eventually relaxed and hugged back.

-I'm sorry, Tori, oh my God, I'm so sorry, please forgive me- I kept on repeating.

-It's ok, don't worry about it.- I know she didn't know what I was apologizing for, but she forgives me, she would forgive me just like that, that's one of the reasons I'm in love with her and I have the chance to tell her, that fills my heart with joy I never thought I would experience.

I pull back and hold her at arms-length and before I could stop myself the words come out. –You are amazing, you know that, I should never have let you go, I should have told you this a long time ago, you fill my life with so much joy and happiness without expecting anything back, and it's not just me, it's every one of our friends, you can ask them if you want, they're here.-

Her eyes light up and my heart swells, -They guys are here?- She asks.

-Yeah sure, they are inside.-

-Take me to them.-

-Sure, all in due time, aren't you going to close your shop?- I ask with my signature smirk, wow I haven't done since she left.

-Oh silly me,- She closes the trunk of her car, -Can you take me now?- She asks as she pulls on my arm.

-One more thing.- I say as I pull her on the hand that was pulling and bring her to me as my lips smash into hers, her lips taste like vanilla with a tint of strawberry. She once again freezes because of surprise but soon respond with equal spirit, and I all the feelings I've been hiding all this time, I let them out and apparently so does she, and I feel like I'm floating. If human beings didn't need oxygen, I think Tori and I would have been kissing for forever, but, we had to breathe so we only broke apart for oxygen. I don't know exactly how long we spent making out in that parking lot, and I would have gone on for forever but Tori wanted to see our friends, and pleasing Tori was one of my ways of life now.

We didn't have to walk long because, apparently I had been gone for too long and the guys were starting to get worried. Everyone was ecstatic to see Tori and we ended up having a great time at the concert, after the concert, we went back to the RV, ate tacos, played video games, and just had fun.

-Wow it's 8pm already, time does really fly when you're having fun.- Beck said while looking at his watch.

-8pm! Holy crap, Trina, oh my God, oh my God, I have to go.- Tori says with a panicky face almost like the one she had when she said goodbye.

-Wait, wait, we'll drive there.- I say not willing to lose as soon as I found her.

-Not fast enough, I need my car.-

-I'll come with you and the guys will follow.-

She didn't answer but just out of the RV and ran to her car and I followed suit. During the car ride I learnt 2 things; one, traffic in quebeck is worse than in LA at night, two, Tori is a crazy driver, whatever is got her worried like this must be serious. We skidded to a stop in a hospital packing lot, Tori grabbed my hand as she run upstairs, we stopped running when we reached the wards where walked quietly and stopped when we reached a certain room.

In that room was Trina Vega, lying in bed looking very weak and tired, she looked like she has been here for a long time. She smiled when she saw her sister and reached out her hand, it's either she didn't see me or chose to disregard, which was ok by me because she looked like she needed all the energy she could get.

-Hey there,- Tori said tenderly to her sister, -You ready for surgery?-

-Yeah sure.- Trina answered unenthusiastically.

-Hey what's wrong, the doctor said, the most important person in getting you better is yourself, the doctors can only bring you halfway, the rest is up to you.-

-I know all that, Tori, that's not what I'm worried about.-

-Then what is it?-

-You, I'm worried about you, this past month, you've done things, seen things that a 16 year old girl should not have seen, while I was here rotting, you've been working multiple jobs at a time to be able to pay for my surgery, I'm your big sister, I'm the one who's supposed to take care of you not the other way round.-

-Then go kick butt in that surgery, and come back and take care of me.-

I was no expert in family issues but I was sure that these girls needed money, if Tori spend all her money on Trina's surgery, she's gonna need some very soon.

-I have money.- I say.

-What?- Both girls turn to me, it's they forgot I was in the room.

-Money, I have lots of it, I don't know what's going on but you guys need money. And also Tori, Beck and the gang just arrived, they're in the parking lot.-

The following morning when Trina was taken into surgery, we all sat in the waiting room. To ease her nervous ness Tori started talking.

-So what are you guys doing in Montreal any way, don't tell me you came all this way for the show.- She asked.

-We came to find you.- Cat answers her.

-So you guys left school, drove all this way to find me?- She asks with disbelief in her voice, poor baby, she's always putting everyone's needs above hers. –How did you even know I was in Montreal?-

-Ok, first off, you are worth travelling across the whole world for, and secondly, we didn't know, we just started driving from LA, across the states looking, until we found you. And don't worry about school, Sikowitz convinced Helen to give us a month leave of absence, since you missed about the same time as us, you can go to summer school with us, assuming you want to come back.- I say.

-Are you kidding me, of course I want to come back, but where to start, where would I live…- I interrupted her before she could finish.

-I'll take care of it, I'll take care of everything, you just let me know when you want to go home and I'll take you there, I've lived in the hell that is life without Tori Vega and I'm not going back there, plus you'll be pleased to know that, I went to your old place, took all of yours and Trina's stuff and the red couch so that you have something familiar to start from, cause I knew you'd come back, I always knew you'd come back to me.-

-You did that for me?-

-I love Tori Vega, and making you happy is one of my ways of life now.- She laughed as she embraced me into a loving kiss.

-I love you too Jade West.-

-By the way, what did happen, why did you guys leave like that, no phone call, no email, nothing?- I asked and her beautiful happy face turned into a frown, you don't have to talk about it now.

-No, it's okay, I want to.- Everyone dropped what they were doing and gave her their full attention. –The night before I said goodbye, my dad came into my room and told me we were leaving, at first I thought he was kidding, but after I realized he wasn't, I realized I should tell you guys as soon as possible so that we could spent as much time together as we could, but that evening I got home, he asked Trina and I to get into the car and along the way asked for our phones, we of course didn't know what was going on until he threw them out of the window.-

She kept quiet for a while and then continued. –It was then he started telling us about his rules, no friends, no contact, no life, just like that, he was telling to stop living and not a hint of sadness on his face and of course mother just sat there and did nothing. From then we moved from one crappy motel to the other where he ruled with an iron fist. If you spent event a second over your allocated bathroom time, you'd be punished, no food for the day and a flogging.-

I couldn't listen anymore. –Baby, stop.- I begged her to stop, but opening up is the first step to healing, so when she said she could go on, I let her.

-After about a week, he let us go outside, to the farmers market, to get him some fresh tomatoes, he said if we follow his instructions to the tee, he would let us use our phones, I should have known it was a trick, but I missed the sunlight for too long, and the thought of getting to talk to you guys or eat a good meal for a change blinded me, not that I would have changed had I known better, so Trina and I went to farmers' market.-

She stops to steady her breath, while I rub her back the whole time. –What we didn't know is that our dad is full time professional thief, who was posing as a cop, that having kids was not something he wanted but a convenience, to perfect his cover as a committed cop, loving father and husband. Normally he would steal from the government but like the thief he is he got ambitious and stole from a crime lord Maximillio.- This got a few murmurs from the guys who were otherwise as quiet as corpses, Maximillio was a well-known criminal, very deadly and dangerous, those who messed with him, never saw the light of day again.

\- As careful as he thought he was, he got caught this time, and that is why we run away, but apparently moving with kids was an inconvenience, so he used us as decoys. Maximillio thought my dad was getting too comfortable that he was even sending his kids outside, so instead of watching the motel we stayed in, his men followed me and Trina, so when my dad ran away, Maximillio used us as bait, only problem was, dad didn't bite, even after he sent a video of him shooting Trina 6 times in the chest, that son of a bitch did nothing.-

-Breathe baby, breathe, take a big breath in through your nose, and out, in and out.- She seemed to calm down a little as I was taking her through the breathing exercises. –Listen, I know you wanna get this all out but, lets take a break first, who's up for ice cream?-

-Ooh me me me me.- Holy crap, I forgot Cat was here.

We all left the hospital and went across the street where we had ice cream and Tori continued with her story of how even the cruelest man in LA felt sorry for them and took Trina to the hospital, who would have probably died if she didn't get to the hospital in time. For free, the doctors were able to remove only 3 bullets, and said that the other 3 were in too deep, and some fancy equipment were needed to remove them, and they would need payment, (it's all a ploy for making money if you ask me, we'll half save your sister for free but you have to pay for the other half) so for the past 3 weeks Tori has been selling anything she could get her hands on, waiting table, singing and dancing at birthday parties, anything she could do to save her sister.

-Hey I just got a call from Trina's doctor while I was in the bathroom, he said, the surgery didn't take as long as expected, and it was successful, so we can go and see Trina right now.-

I wake up to the smell of coffee, I open one eye first and then the other, and I'm greeted a beautiful sight of the love of my life sitting naked on my favorite couch, (yes I put the red couch in my room.), drinking my favorite drink, I smile as I finally get out of bed.

-Morning sunshine.-

-Vega, you know I hate when you call me by pet names.-

-I know, but I also know that you're smoking hot when you mad.-

-Smoking hot?-

-Smoking hot, oh yeah, we have been invited to Trina's room warming party at Juliard in NY, don't ask me how she got in, cause I don't know.-

Trina is indeed a very peculiar person, she has no talent what so ever, but seems to always get admitted into the finest art schools. Maybe she's magic, you never really know, a year ago, I never have thought that I would be happily living with my super-hot girlfriend and have morning sex everyday on our red couch.


End file.
